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The original was posted on /r/australia by /u/SimpleEmu198 on 2025-06-05 08:54:04+00:00.
Australian breakthrough blood test offers hope for early ovarian cancer detection
It’s often diagnosed at a late stage. But with a new blood test, scientists believe that survival rates could soar.
7NEWS Health Editor Jennifer Bechwati By 7NEWS Health Editor Jennifer Bechwati
An Australian developed blood test for cancer is being hailed as a potential lifesaver for thousands of women, with promising results unveiled at a major international medical conference.
An Australian developed blood test for cancer is being hailed as a potential lifesaver for thousands of women, with promising results unveiled at a major international medical conference.
In a groundbreaking announcement at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference in the United States, Australian scientists revealed the revolutionary blood test can detect ovarian cancer in its earliest-and most treatable-stages.
Developed in a Melbourne laboratory, the INNOVIQ EXO-OC™ Test has shown remarkable accuracy in trials.
Its key highlights include:
77 per cent sensitivity at 99.6 per cent specificity for detecting ovarian cancer across all stages, surpassing globally accepted clinical performance criteria for population screening.
Detected all early-stage cancers (Stage I and II) with no missed diagnoses-a critical advancement in addressing the unmet need for accurate and reliable early detection in asymptomatic, average-risk women.
An Australian developed blood test for cancer is being hailed as a potential lifesaver for thousands of women.
An Australian developed blood test for cancer is being hailed as a potential lifesaver for thousands of women. Credit: 7NEWS
“This will be a world-first,” Dr Leearne Hinch, the CEO of the company told 7NEWS.
“Our test will enable many women’s lives to be saved globally.”
Professor Greg Rice, from the University of Queensland, who played a key role in the development of the test, confirmed the breakthrough.
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“In the most recent tests that we completed, the EXO-OC™ test correctly identified all early stage ovarian cancers,” he told 7NEWS.
Ovarian cancer is often called the ‘silent killer’ as it is usually asymptomatic in the early stages of disease.
For women like Emily Jol, the test could have made a life-changing difference.
It took six months for her to receive a diagnosis after being told an ovarian cyst found during a routine ultrasound was “completely normal.”
For women like Emily Jol, the test could have made a life-changing difference.
For women like Emily Jol, the test could have made a life-changing difference. Credit: 7NEWS
“There was nothing wrong with it, they said. It was just part of being a woman,” Emily recalled to 7NEWS.
Just 21-years-old at the time, she continued to push for answers and eventually, surgery revealed the truth: she had ovarian cancer.
Fortunately, it was caught before it spread.
“I still consider myself to be really, really lucky,” she said.
That’s a rare outcome as currently, most ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed too late. One Australian woman dies from the disease every eight hours.
Because it’s often diagnosed at a late stage, after symptoms have appeared, the survival rate beyond five years can be as little as 30 per cent.
But with the new test, scientists believe that survival rate could soar to over 90 percent.
It took six months for Emily to receive a diagnosis.
It took six months for Emily to receive a diagnosis. Credit: 7NEWS
“We’re very proud that this is Australian science,” said Dr Hinch.
The test is still undergoing further evaluation, but if all goes well, it could receive regulatory, FDA, approval in the United States soon, and hit the global market within two to three years.
A message of hope where little existed before.
It was partly funded by the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.
